A pioneering collaboration between the Keck School of Medicine at USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering has secured an $8 million grant over five years from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), one of the National Institutes of Health. This substantial funding heralds the launch of the Southern California Superfund Research and Training Program Center, colloquially known as the ShARP Center, which is dedicated to tackling the pervasive environmental and health challenges posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These synthetic chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their extraordinary persistence in the environment and human body, have been integral in manufacturing an array of household goods ranging from cookware coatings to upholstery, yet their health risks remain insufficiently understood.
PFAS represent a notoriously tenacious class of pollutants, characterized by strong carbon-fluorine bonds that render them resistant to degradation through conventional environmental and biological processes. Epidemiological studies estimate that over 99% of adults in the United States carry measurable levels of PFAS in their bloodstream, underscoring their ubiquitous presence. Accumulating biomedical evidence pinpoints troubling associations between PFAS exposure and dysfunctions across various organ systems, most notably the kidneys and liver, compounded further by emerging links to a spectrum of rare and aggressive cancers. However, despite these concerning correlations, the precise molecular mechanisms driving PFAS toxicity and their broader implications for human health remain elusive, propelling the need for focused investigative efforts.
The ShARP Center, spearheaded by Dr. Vaia Lida Chatzi, professor of population and public health sciences, aims to fill critical gaps in knowledge around how PFAS disrupt liver health, a domain not yet fully elucidated but of mounting importance given rising liver disease incidences, especially among youth. Unlike conventional two-dimensional cell cultures, the Center’s pioneering use of three-dimensional spheroid modeling mimics the complex architecture and cellular interactions of human liver tissue far more accurately, enabling researchers to replicate the dynamic biological response to PFAS exposure at a cellular level with unprecedented fidelity.
Complementing cellular modeling efforts, ShARP will launch a comprehensive population study focusing on pediatric and adolescent cohorts to investigate the potential causal links between PFAS burden and the alarming surge in liver disease among young populations. Since current therapeutic interventions for juvenile liver disease are limited and largely ineffective, understanding environmental contributors such as PFAS could unlock new avenues for early prevention and individualized treatment strategies. The interdisciplinary design of these studies is tailored to disentangle the multifactorial etiology of hepatic conditions influenced by environmental toxins alongside genetic predispositions and lifestyle factors.
On the environmental engineering front, experts from USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering are exploring innovative remediation approaches to remove PFAS from contaminated public water systems that affect approximately 200 million Americans. These methods include the deployment of specialized microorganisms capable of biodegrading PFAS compounds, advanced chemical treatments, and thermal techniques that alter PFAS’s molecular integrity, potentially neutralizing their persistence. Given PFAS’s resistance to conventional filtration and purification methods, these cutting-edge technological interventions are vital for curtailing human exposure and mitigating associated health risks.
The synergistic nature of the ShARP Center’s mission lies in its integration of expertise from environmental science, biomedical research, and engineering disciplines, fostering a comprehensive approach to address PFAS from source to effect. This cross-disciplinary collaboration is emblematic of the National Superfund Research Program’s methodology, which mandates partnerships across scientific fields and communities to manage hazardous substances linked to Superfund sites—locations designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their significant contamination and risk to human health.
Proactive community engagement remains a cornerstone of the ShARP Center’s strategy. Recognizing that environmental exposure studies alone cannot drive health improvements without rooted societal partnerships, researchers have established ongoing dialogues with local Southern Californian communities identified as high-risk areas for PFAS exposure. These partnerships facilitate bidirectional knowledge exchange between scientists and residents, ensuring that intervention strategies are culturally appropriate, contextually relevant, and accessible to vulnerable populations who disproportionately bear the brunt of chemical contamination.
Moreover, the Center prioritizes dissemination of findings beyond academic circles, aiming to influence public policy, industrial practices, and environmental regulations. By providing robust scientific data on PFAS contamination and health impacts, ShARP endeavors to inform policymakers crafting regulation frameworks, guide manufacturers toward safer material alternatives, and empower water management authorities with effective treatment protocols. This translational dimension amplifies the Center’s impact, transforming empirical research into actionable solutions.
The ShARP Center builds upon a legacy of PFAS-related research previously conducted by Dr. Chatzi and her colleagues, which has established a foundational understanding of PFAS’s prevalence not only in environmental water sources but also in food and beverage products—areas historically overlooked in pollutant exposure assessments. Their innovative longitudinal studies have linked PFAS contamination to consumer goods such as teas, processed meats, and food packaging, broadening public awareness of less conspicuous exposure pathways.
Interdisciplinary leaders of the ShARP Center, including Dr. Adam Smith and Dr. Max Aung, bring complementary expertise in environmental engineering and public health, respectively. Dr. Smith focuses on developing scalable water treatment technologies, leveraging insights into chemical transport and biological degradation to engineer solutions tailored for urban and rural settings alike. Dr. Aung spearheads community outreach and engagement efforts, ensuring equitable access to information and fostering trust in scientific research through transparent collaboration.
With participation from affiliated institutions including the University of California, Irvine, the ShARP Center exemplifies a regional powerhouse in environmental health research. Collectively, these efforts align with the immediate need to confront one of the 21st century’s most insidious pollution challenges. By unraveling the complex health impacts of PFAS exposure and advancing pragmatic remediation tools, the Center’s work stands to deliver meaningful improvements in environmental justice and public health resilience.
USC President Carol Folt underscores the significance of the ShARP Center within the broader institutional mission, highlighting the university’s commitment to sustainability and societal well-being. Through cutting-edge science and community partnerships, the Center embodies an urgent response to a growing chemical threat, stressing the imperative for interdisciplinary innovation to safeguard future generations from the invisible hazards permeating our environment.
Ultimately, the establishment of the ShARP Center constitutes a vital milestone in the ongoing battle against PFAS contamination. Its blend of mechanistic biological studies, applied engineering research, population health analyses, and community-centered engagement coalesces into a robust platform capable of generating scalable, science-based strategies to avert the deleterious effects of “forever chemicals” on human health. The outcomes of these endeavors promise to resonate far beyond Southern California, providing a replicable blueprint for national and global efforts to mitigate environmental chemical risks.
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Subject of Research: Environmental impact and health effects of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), liver disease, water pollution remediation
Article Title: USC Launches ShARP Center to Combat the Health Risks of “Forever Chemicals” through Cutting-Edge Research and Innovation
News Publication Date: [Not provided]
Web References:
– https://keck.usc.edu/news/usc-study-finds-link-between-pfas-kidney-function-and-gut-health/
– https://keck.usc.edu/news/synthetic-forever-chemicals-known-as-pfas-linked-to-liver-damage/
– https://keck.usc.edu/news/study-links-pfas-contamination-of-drinking-water-to-a-range-of-rare-cancers/
– https://rii.usc.edu/funding/presidents-sustainability-research-award/
– https://tools.niehs.nih.gov/srp/programs/index267.cfm
References: Supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences [P42ES36506]
Keywords: Chemical pollution, Pollutants, Environmental policy, Water pollution, Liver damage, Sustainability, Public health, Diseases and disorders
